Dust-proof ink-well



(No Model.)

Bm HUE NW AK mm Ow mm GT fm RD Patented Jan. 26, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH G. DORRANCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DUST-PROOF INK-WELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,708, dated January26, 1897.

Application filed August 31,1896. Serial No. 604,348. (No model.)

To all whom t 711/114/ concern:

Beit kn own that I, RALPH G. DORRANCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dust-Proof Ink-VVells,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in dust-proof andnon-evaporating ink-wells, and has for its object to provide a simpleand cheap device of this description by means of which the Well will beclosed at all times, except when temporarilyuncovered for the immersionof the pen within the ink.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that th ose skilled-in the art to which this inventionappertain may understand how to make and use the same, its constructionand operation will now be described in detail, referring` to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective of an ink-well elnbodying my improvements;Fig. '2, a side elevation of the same, a portion of the cover brokenaway" and sectioned to show the rubber washer placed therein forhermetically sealing the well when the cover is in place, and Fig. 3 isa modified form of myimprovement.

In carrying out my invention I use a well A of any desired size anddesign, and provide therefor a metallic cover B, from which project theshanks D, with which are formed the right-angle levers F, and Erepresents a stand or frame in which the ink-well is placed, and thisframe is so designed as to hold said well therein against accidentaldisplacement. The levers F are pivot-ed at G to the frame, in order thatthe cover B may be swung upward and rearward from oftl the ink-well, aswill be hereinafter set forth.

Two levers H are pivoted at I to the frame, one upon each side thereof,and are connected at their front ends by the cross-bar J, of such widthas to serve as a presser-bar against which the fingers or some portionof the hand carrying the pen may be brought into contact, and the heelsK of these levers extend rearward from the pivot-points I and lieimmediof the pen within the ink. Now when the hand is removed from thepresser-bar the weight of the cover will return the levers F to theirnormal position, and these levers will force the heel ends of the leversH downward and the presser-bar upward to its normal position, While atthe same time the cover will fall into its proper relative position uponthe well, thereby closing the latter.

vTo hermetically seal the ink-well, I place a rubber or othercompressible washer L within the cover, of such shape as to lit over theflange M of said well, thereby completely preventing the evaporation ofthe ink from the well and also preventing dust and other foreign matterfrom gaining access thereto.

One of the principal advantages of myimprovement is that an ink-well ofany design may be adapted thereto, as the principal features thereofconsist in the arrangement of the levers I-I and the securement of thelevers F to the cover of the well; yet a well thus arranged will beabsolutely dust-proof and the ink cannot evaporate therefrom.

It is obvious that any amount of ornamentation may be provided in thedesigning of the frame, and I have here shown the notches N formed inthe front portion of the frame, which serve as a rack for the holding ofthe penholder; but of course any arrangement for this purpose may beprovided without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The extreme ends of the heels K may be beveled, as shown, so that whenthe levers H are depressed and the levers F swung upward these bevelededges will come into alinement with the lower edges of the last-namedlevers and partially lock the levers F in their elevated position, so asto prevent the cover from going farther rearward than is required.

The center of gravity is so placed that the cover, by its weight, willgo downward upon the release of the presser-bar.

Itis obvious that my improvement may be IOO applied directly to an inkwell or bottle by thc securement of a metallic band O around the neck ofsaid well or bottle and pivoting the levers P and Q thereto, in whichcase the necessity for the frame is obviated and a very cheap, yeteffective, automatically-closing ink-well is provided, as shown in Fig.Another modification might be utilized in the embodiment of myinvention, consisting of the displacement of one of the levers ll andsubstituting for the presser-bar J, which extends between these levers,a key or button carried by the outer end of a single lever correspondingto the levers H, and this lever should be arranged upon the rightdiandside of the frame in order that the button carried thereby might be ineasy access of the iingers of the hand carrying the pen.

Having thus fully described this invention,

frame, a lever pivoted thereto carrying a cap, a lever pivoted to theframe having its heel en gaging and operating the first-named lever,said heel extending nearly to the pivot of the cap-carrying lever andbeing beveled to limit the movement of the cap, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a device oli' the character described, a suitable frame, leverscarrying a cap pivoted to the frame, a second series of levers pivotedto the frame having beveled heels engaging the iirst-named levers neartheir pivotal supports, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH G. DORRANCE.

Witnesses:

S. S. WILLIAMSON, JOHN M. KEENEY.

